Siddhartha Gautama - Ancient History Encyclopedia Siddhartha Gautama by Cristian Violatti published on 09 December 2013 Siddhartha Gautama (also known as the Buddha “the awakened one”) was the leader and founder of a sect of wanderer ascetics (Sramanas), one of many sects which existed at that time all over India . This sect came to be known as Sangha, to distinguish it from other similar communities. The teachings of Siddhartha Gautama are considered the core of Buddhism : after his death, the community he founded slowly evolved into a religious-like movement which was finally established as a state religion in India by the time of Emperor Ashoka , during the 3rd century BCE. Siddhartha is a Sanskrit personal name which means "He Who Achieves His Goal". The name is best known in English as the title of the novel by Hermann Hesse, in which the main character (who actually is not the Buddha) is named Siddhartha. The Sanskrit family name Gautama means "descendants of Gotama".

Gotama is the name of several figures in ancient India, including a poet of the Rig Veda and also Aksapada Gautama (or Gotama), a famous Indian logician. Pali literature normally refers to Siddhartha Gautama as Gotama Buddha. Remove Ads Advertisement Traditionally, the meaning of the term Buddha is understood as a person who has awakened from the deep sleep of ignorance. In Indian tradition, the expression was already used before, during, and after the life of Siddhartha by many religious communities, but it became most strongly linked to the Buddhist tradition. Historical Context At the time when Siddhartha Gautama lived, Northern India was composed of numerous and small independent states competing for resources. This was a time when the traditional religious order in India was being challenged by a number of new philosophical and religious schools that were not in line with the orthodox Indian religious views. The Vedic philosophy , theology and metaphysics, along with its ever growing complexity of rituals and sacrificial fees, was being questioned. Materialistic schools were running wild in India, undermining the reputation and authority of the priestly class, leading to a temporary religious anarchy which contributed to the development of new religions.

By the time Siddhartha Gautama was born, the intellectual decay of the old Brahmanic orthodoxy had begotten a strong skepticism and moral vacuum which was filled by new religious and philosophical views. The realization that he, like anyone else, could be subject to different forms of human suffering drove Siddhartha into a personal crisis. By the time he was 29, he abandoned his home and began to live as a homeless ascetic. Siddhartha’s ideas have some similarities with the work of Kapila, an Indian sage who lived probably about two centuries earlier. Both were concerned with providing humanity with a relief from suffering. They discarded the remedies proposed by the Vedic rites, especially the sacrifices; they considered these rites to be cruel because of their strong connection with the slaughter of living beings. Both of them believed that knowledge and meditation were the true means of salvation. Also, they both strived to attain a state of human perfection and their approach was purely agnostic. However, the parallels go no further. Kapila organized his views in a system of philosophy that has not a hint of sympathy for mankind in general.

The Buddha, on the other hand, delivered his message with a living, all-embracing sympathy and a deep concern for the poor and the oppressed. He preached in favour of the equality of men (which was largely forgotten in the Indian society during his time) and opposed inequalities and abuses of the caste system. Advertisement The Historical Buddha Reliable factual data on the life of Siddhartha Gautama is very scarce. His historical biography can be, to some extent, pieced together by comparing early Buddhist texts from different traditions. These accounts are filled with myth and legendary stories that slowly but surely changed the initial attributes of the biography of the Buddha. The final form of these texts were written down many centuries after the death of the Buddha. The true words and accounts of the Buddha were merged with legendary additions from oral traditions. Moreover, it seems obvious that the editors of the final versions of the many biographies of the Buddha made their own additions and shaped the contents of the texts according to their own interests in order to support their own philosophical and religious ideas. Siddhartha’s life can be divided into two different stages: the time before his enlightenment and the time after that moment.

Buddhist literature uses the term Bodhisattva (someone who is on the way to obtaining enlightenment) to refer to Siddhartha before he attained enlightenment, and the word Buddha is used to refer to Siddhartha from the time of his enlightenment. There is no agreement on when Siddhartha was born. This is still a question mark both in scholarship and Buddhist tradition. Several dates have been proposed, but the many contradictions and inaccuracies in the different chronologies and dating systems make it impossible to come up with a satisfactory answer free of controversy. The dates of Siddhartha’s life, according to the different sources available, are as follows: Long chronology (Ceylonese): 624-544 BCE Corrected long chronology: 566-486 BCE Short chronology (Indian chronology): 448-368 BCE Modern Scholar consensus: 490/450-410/370 BCE Modern scholarship agrees that the Buddha passed away at some point between 410 and 370 BCE, about 140-100 years before the time of Indian Emperor Ashoka’s reign (268-232 BCE).

Both scholars and Buddhist tradition agree that the Buddha lived for 80 years. More exactness on this matter seems impossible. Siddhartha’s caste was the Kshatriya caste (the warrior rulers caste). He belonged to the Sahkya clan and was born in the Gautama family. Because of this, he became to be known as Shakyamuni “sage of the Shakya clan”, which is the most common name used in the Mahayana literature to refer to the Buddha. His father was named Suddhodana and his mother, Maya . There is some controversy surrounding the background of the Shakyas. All we know about the Shakyas is through Buddhist sources, and the historical facts in it have been clouded by many additions and editions over the centuries. Some accounts say that the Shakya princes were exiled from a previous state (identified as the kingdom of Ayodhya according to some accounts) and they moved on and found the state of Shakya. Despite the fact that Suddhodana Gautama is often described as a king, it is believed that his status was actually that of a regional leader, similar to a tribe’s chief.

The Shakyas’ government was organized as a republican system, not a monarchy: they held regular meetings where the members of the most influential families took part. Almost certainly, the family of Siddharhta was one of the leading families within this political system. The Shakya state was located at at the foot of the Himalayas and Siddharta’s family was based in a city called Kapilavastu . Suddhodana was married to Maya and he also had (at least) a second wife, Mahaprajapati, who was Maya’s younger sister. It is probable that Suddhodana also had some concubines. It is believed that Siddhartha was born in Lumbini , present day Nepal, not far from Kapilavastu. Lumbini has been identified thanks to the Indian Emperor Ashoka, who visited the area in 248 BCE and erected a pillar with an inscription commemorating the birth of Siddhartha. He also built a wall around the village and ordered the building of four stupas to mark the spot.

It is not absolutely certain that Siddhartha was actually born in Lumbini, but at least we know for certain that this was widely believed by the Buddhist community at the time of Ashoka and even earlier. Maya died soon after Siddhartha was born, perhaps within days; the child was raised by Mahaprajapati. All accounts stress the extreme luxuries that surrounded Siddhartha while living in Kapilavastu. Yasodhara, possibly a cousin, was Siddhartha’s wife and they had only one son, Rahula. The realization that he, like anyone else, could be subject to different forms of human suffering (disease, old age, and death) drove Siddhartha into a personal crisis. By the time he was 29, he abandoned his home and began to live as a homeless ascetic. Even though it is normally held that Siddhartha left home in secret, this legend is a later addition; early scriptures explicitly agree that he abandoned his home, “though his parents did not conscent and wept full of affliction”.

After leaving Kapilavastu, Siddhartha practised the yoga discipline under the direction of two of the leading masters of that time: Arada Kalama and Udraka Ramaputra. Siddhartha did not get the results he expected, so he left the masters, engaged in extreme asceticism, and he was joined by five followers. For a period of six years Siddhartha tried to attain his goal but was unsuccessful. After realizing that asceticism was not the way to attain the results he was looking for, he gave up this way of life. After eating a meal and taking a bath, Siddhartha sat down under a tree of the species ficus religiosa, where he finally attained Nirvana (perfect enlightenment) and became known as the Buddha. Soon after this, the Buddha delivered his first sermon in a place named Sarnath, also known as the deer park, near the city of Varanasi. This was a key moment in the Buddhist tradition, traditionally known as the moment when the Buddha “set in motion the wheel of the law”.

The Buddha explained the middle way between asceticism and a life of luxury, the four noble truths (suffering, its origin, how to end it, and the eightfold path or the path leading to the extinction of suffering), and the impersonality of all beings. The Buddha’s first disciples joined him around this time, and the Buddhist monastic community, known as Sangha, was established. Sariputra and Mahamaudgalyayana were the two chief disciples of the Buddha. Mahakasyapa was also an important disciple who became the convener of the First Buddhist Council. From Kapilavastu and Sravasti in the north, to Varanasi, Nalanda and many other areas in the Ganges basin, the Buddha preached his vision for about 45 years. During his career he visited his hometown, met his father, his foster mother and even his son, who joined the Sangha along with other members of the Shakya clan. Upali, another disciple of the Buddha, joined the Sangha around this time: he was a Shakya and regarded as the most competent monk in matters of monastic discipline.

Ananda, a cousin of the Buddha, also became a monk; he accompanied the Buddha during the last stage of his life and persuaded him to admit women into the Sangha, thus establishing the Bhikkhuni Sangha, the female Buddhist monastic community. During his career, some kings and other rulers are described as followers of the Buddha. The Buddha’s adversary is reported to be Davadatta, his own cousin, who became a follower of the Buddha and turned out to be responsible for a schism of the Sangha, and he even tried to kill the Buddha. The last days of the Buddha are described in detail in an ancient text named Mahaparinirvana Sutra . We are told that the Buddha visited Vaishali, where he fell ill and nearly died. Some accounts say that here the Buddha delivered his last sermon. After recovering, the Buddha travelled to Kushinagar. On his way, he accepted a meal from a smith named Cunda, which made him sick and led to his death. Once he reached Kushinagar, he encouraged his disciples to continue their activity one last time and he finally passed away.

Myths & Legendary Accounts on the life of the buddha The original biography of the Buddha has been merged with many legendary accounts and myths. Siddhartha’s conception and birth are associated with several miracles. The legend says, for example, that Maya did not have sexual intercourse with Suddhodana; the Buddha entered into the womb of Maya through her right side in the shape of a white elephant. The fate of the child was anticipated: a group of priests predicted that Siddhartha would become either a powerful monarch or a Buddha. Suddhodana knew this prophecy, so he did his best to prevent Siddhartha from witnessing any form of human suffering, keeping his son inside the palace all the time. As Siddhartha was approaching his enlightenment while meditating, a devil named Mara tried to stop him, but in the end Mara was defeated. This particular moment is often represented in art: the Buddha seated in meditation, one hand on his lap, the other pendant in a gesture known as earth-witness, which represents unshakability or steadfastness when being subject to the demons' temptations. Miracles stories were also introduced into the biography of the Buddha.

The following example aims to highlight the courtesy of the Buddha: The Buddha must cross the desert at midday. The gods, from their thirty-three circles, each throws down a parasol to him. The Buddha, not wishing to offend any of the gods, multiplies himself into thirty-three Buddhas, so that each of the gods sees, from above, a Buddha protected by the parasol which he threw him. (Borges, Chapter 4) The early Buddhist community attempted to demonstrate that what the Buddha taught was nothing new, but rather that he rediscovered a timeless truth. Therefore, a number of claims entered the Buddhist literature to support this view, including the doctrine of the existence of past Buddhas. This allowed the Buddhists to claim an authority similar to that of some rival schools such as the Vedic and Jain traditions, both of which supported their authority by claiming to be originated a long time ago.

The stories about past Buddhas follow the same general plot and structure: they all sit cross-legged in their mother’s womb; they all take seven steps to the north immediately after they are born; they all renounce the world after witnessing an old man, a sick man, a dead man, and a mendicant; they all attain nirvana seated on the grass; they never die before their teaching is complete; they all die after eating meat. Buddhist literature also presents stories about the previous reincarnations of Siddhartha Gautama. One of the most famous accounts of this kind is a text named “Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish”, where many past lives of Siddhartha Gautama are described. A well known example is the popular story where prince Mahasattva (who is actually the Buddha during one of his previous lives) inspired by compassion, selflessness, and generosity, offers his body as food to a starving tigress to prevent the tigress from eating her new born cubs, and he dies devoured by the cat. the legacy of the buddha The turning point in Siddhartha’s life was attaining nirvana.

The image of the Buddha meditating under a tree is as important in Buddhism as the image of Jesus Christ on the cross is to most Christians. What is the meaning of nirvana? What does it mean that Siddhartha Gautama achieved enlightenment thus becoming the Buddha (awakened)? The precise nature of the buddhahood is debated by various schools. Despite the fact that “nirvana” is a very popular expression in Buddhism, Buddhists have never reached full agreement on its meaning. Nirvana is a Sanskrit noun often translated as “extinction” which signifies the act and effect of blowing at something, to put it out: to blow out or to extinguish. The process itself along with its outcome are also part of the meaning of nirvana: becoming extinguished, blowing out, calming down. The religious use of the word nirvana seems to be earlier than Buddhism itself and may have been introduced into Buddhism along with many other religious elements associated with the sramanas movements. The concept of nirvana is also present in Jainism and in different Hindu sects; its precise meaning varies, but it revolves around the idea of a state of bliss and liberation from individuality and the suffering of the cycle of birth and death.

In Buddhism, the concept of nirvana was taken in different directions according to the different schools. The main reason for these differences has to do with the fact that early Buddhist texts do not provide a clear systematic scholarly definition of nirvana but rather, they express its meaning using metaphors and other ambiguous means. A famous example can be found in the Pali Canon where nirvana is interpreted “as when a flame is blown out by the wind”. Here, the metaphor refers to the extinction of the “three poisons” (or primary afflictions): greed/sensuality, hatred/aversion, and delusion/ignorance. After this, one is no longer subject to the cycle of death and rebirth. A more naturalistic view suggests that nirvana is the culmination of a long process of personal discipline and self-cultivation. Living an “enlightened” life, in touch with the way things truly are, free of delusion, greed and hatred, ultimately gives rise to nirvana, a state of human excellence. The meaning of the teachings and message of the Buddha is also a controversial topic. Some Buddhist schools say that its core is non-violence, others say compassion, some others say it is freedom from rebirth.

There are also scholars who claim that the Buddha was looking to restore the pre-Vedic Indian religion, which was buried under centuries of distortion and dead ceremonials. Some of these ideas, whether the true core of the message of the Buddha or not, are not original to Buddhism. Non-violence and compassion was one of the pillars of Jainism long after the times of the Buddha, while freedom from rebirth is presented in the Upanishads also before the time of the Buddha. The one aspect of the message of the Buddha which seems original is humanism: the insight that human beings are ultimately responsible for their fate and that no supernatural forces, no magic rituals, and no gods can be held accountable for our actions. The idea that there are no gods and that the material world is all there is, was already held by some materialistic schools in India, particularly by the Charvaka school, so in this sense it might not seem an original insight. But the approach of these schools was largely atheist, since they all denied the existence of supernatural entities.

Both the theistic approach of the Vedic religion and the atheistic approach of the materialistic schools rest ultimately on the same conviction: both hold that we can know whether or not the gods actually exist; one is certain of their existence, the other is certain they do not exist. The Buddha claimed the impossibility of human knowledge of arriving to definite answers regarding this matter, so his view was an agnostic one, suspending judgement and saying that no sufficient grounds exist either for affirmation or for denial. This idea is so strong in Buddhism that even today in some of the Buddhist branches who have incorporated supernatural entities into their traditions, the role of human choice and responsibility remains supreme, far above the deeds of the supernatural. It would be historically incorrect to say that Siddhartha Gautama saw himself as a religious leader or that he consciously set out to start a new religious movement. He considered himself a teacher who rejected the ways of traditional Hindu religious orthodoxy and offered his followers a different path. He considered the many Vedic rites and ceremonies to be pointless and abusive and he was also against the caste system, stressing the equality among all people.

It seems ironic that a man whose career was largely based on believing and teaching the oneness of mankind and the equality among people, ended up being worshipped and elevated to the status of a god by some of his followers. As strange as this may sound, this is what happened in some Buddhist circles, particularly in India. The Buddha, originally considered a human being (wise and extraordinary, but only a man), gradually entered into the pantheon of the Hindu gods and came to be regarded as one of the many manifestations of the god Vishnu . A man of tolerance, intelligence, compassion, peace, what harm could it do to worship him as a deity? His followers perhaps thought that by making him a god the Buddha would become more special, his image more powerful and unique. However, in a tradition like in India, filled with endless gods and goddesses everywhere, to make him a god was also to make him ordinary, just one more god among thousands. Moreover, his image became to coexist with myth, ritual and superstition that corrupted his original message. Eventually, the Buddha was swallowed up by the realm of Hindu gods, his importance diminished and Buddhism finally died out in the land where it was born.

So complete was the destruction of Buddhism in India during ancient times, that when western scholars rediscovered Buddhism, the records they relied on came from countries near and around India: no valuable records were kept in the home of Buddhism. The message of the Buddha vanished from its homeland, just as Jesus Christ failed to perform his miracles in his own home town, but it remained alive in almost every other part of Asia and from Asia it spread to the rest of the world. About the Author Siddhartha Gautama - Siddhartha Gautama Siddhartha Gautama, better known as Siddhartha Gautama Siddhartha Gautama - Siddhartha Gautama Siddhartha Gautama,... SCHOOL View Full Document Siddhartha Gautama Siddhartha Gautama, better known as the Buddha, was the founder of Buddhism. He sought enlightenment to remove evil and suffering from life. Gautama achieved enlightenment, or nirvana, after years of meditation and study and preached among those who would hear his message. His religion was based on reason and the development of personal qualities by individuals. Gautama's message of nonviolence and the transitory nature of this world found a receptive audience, making Buddhism one of the most widespread of all modern religions.

Much of what is known of Gautama's life comes from legends, and no contemporary account of his life is known to exist. Although traditional sources on Gautama's life vary widely, many scholars agree that he was born after 600 BCE. According to some sources, he was born about 563 BCE in southern Nepal. His father was king of the Shakya clan, which was part of the warrior caste, and one of the honorifics later given to Gautama was Shakyamuni, or "sage of the Shakyas." Some legends state that Gautama could speak and walk when he was born. He received a privileged upbringing and was a sensitive youth who was apparently concerned at an early age with philosophical and religious questions, though Gautama's father tried to insulate his son from these matters. He built a palace for Gautama's residence and surrounded him with worldly pleasures. Gautama married a woman named Yashodhara, and the couple had a son named Rahula.

Nonetheless, Gautama became aware of troubles in the world during four chariot rides he took outside the palace gates; on the first of these rides, he saw an elderly person; on the second, someone who was sick; on the third, a dead person; and on the fourth, he witnessed monks meditating. Following his This preview has intentionally blurred sections. Sign up to view the full version. This is the end of the preview. Sign up to access the rest of the document. TERM Tibet Annexation In 1949, the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched a campaign to Tibet Annexation Siddhartha Gautama is better known by what name? | Brainscape Deck 3 of 18 (Early Religion and Thought): Card 14 of 45 Siddhartha Gautama is better known by what name? Q Show Answer Siddhartha Gautama, who lived from around 560 B.C. to 480 B.C., is better known by the name of Buddha. A nobleman from India's north, Buddha abandoned his privileged background in a quest to discover why suffering existed.

After being enlightened (Buddha means "enlightened one") while sitting under a tree, Buddha established the basic tenets of Buddhism. Importantly, Buddha never claimed to have achieved divine status. A Learn more with Brainscape Brainscape is a web and mobile study platform that helps you learn things faster. Our mission is to create a smarter world by simplifying and accelerating the learning process. The Life of Siddhartha Gautama, Who Became the Buddha By Barbara O'Brien Updated April 30, 2016. The life of the person we call the Buddha is shrouded in legend and myth. Although most historians believe there was such a person, we know very little about him. The "standard" biography, given briefly below, appears to have evolved over time and was largely completed by the Buddhacarita, an epic poem written by Aśvaghoṣa in the 2nd century CE. Siddhartha Gautama's Early Life The future Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, was born in the 5th or 6th century BCE in Lumbini, in what is now Nepal.

His father, King Suddhodana, was leader of a large clan called the Shakya. His mother, Queen Maya, died shortly after his birth. Read More: The Birth of the Buddha When Prince Siddhartha was a few days old, a holy man prophesied the Prince would be either a great military conqueror or a great spiritual teacher. King Suddhodana preferred the first outcome and prepared his son accordingly. He raised the boy in great luxury and shielded him from knowledge of religion and human suffering. The Prince reached the age of 29 with little experience of the world outside the walls of his opulent palaces. Read More: Prince Siddhartha: The Prince Who Became the Buddha The Four Passing Sights One day, overcome with curiosity, Prince Siddhartha asked a charioteer to take him on a series of rides through the countryside. On these journeys he was shocked by the sight of an aged man, then a sick man, and then a corpse. The stark realities of old age, disease, and death seized and sickened the Prince. Finally, he saw a wandering ascetic.

The charioteer explained that the ascetic was one who had renounced the world and sought release from fear of death and suffering. The Renunciation For a time the Prince returned to palace life, but he took no pleasure in it. Even the news that his wife Yasodhara had given birth to a son did not please him. The child was called Rahula, which means "fetter." One night he wandered the palace alone. The luxuries that had once pleased him now seemed grotesque. Musicians and dancing girls had fallen asleep and were sprawled about, snoring and sputtering. Prince Siddhartha reflected on the old age, disease, and death that would overtake them all and turn their bodies to dust. He realized then that he could no longer be content living the life of a prince. That very night he left the palace, shaved his head, and changed his prince's clothes for a beggar's robe. Then he began his quest for enlightenment. Read More: Siddhartha's Renunciation The Search Siddhartha began by seeking out renowned teachers, who taught him about the many religious philosophies of his day as well as how to meditate.

But after he had learned all they had to teach, his doubts and questions remained. so he and five disciples left to find enlightenment by themselves. The six companions attempted to find release from suffering through physical discipline--enduring pain, holding their breath, fasting nearly to starvation. Yet Siddhartha was still unsatisfied. It occurred to him that in renouncing pleasure he had grasped pleasure's opposite--pain and self-mortification. Now Siddhartha considered a Middle Way between those two extremes. He remembered an experience from his childhood, when his mind had settled into a state of deep peace. The path of liberation was through discipline of mind. He realized that instead of starvation, he needed nourishment to build up his strength for the effort. But when he accepted a bowl of rice milk from a young girl, his companions assumed he had given up the quest and abandoned him. The Enlightenment of the Buddha Siddhartha sat beneath a sacred fig (Ficus religiosa), known ever after as the Bodhi Tree (bodhi means "awakened"), and settled into meditation.

The work of Siddhartha's mind came to be mythologized as a great battle with Mara , a demon whose name means "destruction' and who represents the passions that snare and delude us. Mara brought vast armies of monsters to attack Siddhartha, who sat still and untouched. Mara's most beautiful daughter tried to seduce Siddhartha, but this effort also failed. Finally, Mara claimed the seat of enlightenment rightfully belonged to him. Mara's spiritual accomplishments were greater than Siddhartha's, the demon said. Mara's monstrous soldiers cried out together, "I am his witness!" Mara challenged Siddhartha--who will speak for you? Then Siddhartha reached out his right hand to touch the earth , and the earth itself roared, "I bear you witness!" Mara disappeared. And as the morning star rose in the sky, Siddhartha Gautama realized enlightenment and became a Buddha. Read More: The Enlightenment of the Buddha. The Teacher At first, the Buddha was reluctant to teach, because what he had realized could not be communicated in words. Only through discipline and clarity of mind would delusions fall away and the Great Reality could be directly experienced.

Listeners without that direct experience would be stuck in conceptualizations and would surely misunderstand everything he said. But compassion persuaded him to make the attempt. After his enlightenment, he went to the Deer Park in Isipatana, located in what is now the province of Uttar Pradesh, India. There he found the five companions who had abandoned him, and to them he preached his first sermon. This sermon has been preserved as the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta and centers on the Four Noble Truths . Instead of teaching doctrines about enlightenment, the Buddha chose to prescribe a path of practice through which people can realize enlightenment for themselves. Read More: The Buddha's First Sermon The Buddha devoted himself to teaching, attracting hundreds of followers. Eventually he became reconciled with his father, King Suddhodana. His wife, the devoted Yasodhara, became a nun and disciple. Rahula , his son, became a novice monk at the age of 7 and spent the rest of his life with his father. Last Words The Buddha tirelessly traveled and taught until his death at age 80. His last words to his followers: "Behold, O monks, this is my last advice to you.

All copounded things in the world are changeable. They are not lasting. Work hard to gain your own salvation." How Siddhartha Gautama Became the Buddha Ads Disclosure How Siddhartha Gautama Became the "Buddha" Siddhartha Gautama lived in northern India in the 6th century C.E. He was born into a Hindu family of the ruling caste. Ancient Buddhist texts record slightly different stories about his life and how he became a "Buddha" or "enlightened one." Here is the most common version. Siddhartha was about 5 days old when his father called a group of priests together for a feast. He asked them about the infant's future. They prophesied that the infant would either become a great king or a great sage. The father preferred his son to become a great king, so he structured his son's life such that he never had to face any of the hardship or struggles of life. Why? Because in the Hindu tradition of the time (which you can read about here), those who became holy men or sages followed a path of renunciation.

At a certain point in their lives, they would renounce what was called "householder" life - a life of marriage, family, work, etc. - and go live in the forest where they spent the rest of their lives in study, meditation and other spiritual practices. Siddhartha's father did not want his son to become one of these renouncers, so he made sure his son's life was as perfect as possible, offering everything wonderful and nothing negative or upsetting. The father made sure his son was shielded from anything that would make him want to leave the kingdom. One day, as Siddhartha was touring a park area of the kingdom, he saw four things that changed his life. First, he saw a sick person. He had never seen a sick person before and was shocked at the sight. Next, he saw an old person, someone stooped over and suffering the effects of old age. Again, he was shocked for he'd never seen this suffering before. Then, he saw a corpse! He'd certainly never seen a dead person before, nor did he even really understand the reality of death. His father had kept him sheltered from all these things, particularly death.

Finally, he saw a sage or holy man walking up the path. The sage passed by the sick person, the old person and the corpse - and as he did so, his face and demeanor was filled with compassion, peacefulness and joy. Siddhartha at that moment recognized for the first time the profound suffering that even the best of lives involves. He resolved to be like the sage, who in the midst of sickness, old age and death could still live a life of compassion, peacefulness and joy. So, he returned to the palace and made plans to renounce the kingdom and his life, and to wander into the forest to seek enlightenment. Once in the forest, Siddhartha Gautama undertook the strict ascetic practices of the Hindu forest tradition, such as extreme fasting from food and water. At one point, the stories say, he ate only 1 grain of rice and 1 drop of water a day, and became so thin that he could place his hand on his stomach and close his fingers around his backbone! He became emaciated and weak, so much so that he couldn't meditate or do the other spiritual practices of the tradition.

So, he began eating again until he regained strength and then embarked again upon the meditative path in order to achieve enlightenment. After a great struggle within himself and the "demons" of ignorance, he finally broke through the illusions of his own mind and experienced true Reality. He achieved enlightenment and became a "buddha" - an enlightened one. What was his enlightenment? What did he become enlightened about? Click to the Four Noble Truths to find out. I recommend Karen Armstrong's book for an in-depth, but readable account of the Buddha's life. Click here: Buddha < div> Siddhartha Gautama The Life of Siddhartha Gautama Dr. C. George Boeree Shippensburg University There was a small country in what is now southern Nepal that was ruled by a clan called the Shakyas. The head of this clan, and the king of this country, was named Shuddodana Gautama, and his wife was the beautiful Mahamaya. Mahamaya was expecting her first born. She had had a strange dream in which a baby elephant had blessed her with his trunk, which was understood to be a very auspicious sign to say the least.

As was the custom of the day, when the time came near for Queen Mahamaya to have her child, she traveled to her father's kingdom for the birth. But during the long journey, her birth pains began. In the small town of Lumbini, she asked her handmaidens to assist her to a nearby grove of trees for privacy. One large tree lowered a branch to her to serve as a support for her delivery. They say the birth was nearly painless, even though the child had to be delivered from her side. After, a gentle rain fell on the mother and the child to cleanse them. It is said that the child was born fully awake. He could speak, and told his mother he had come to free all mankind from suffering. He could stand, and he walked a short distance in each of the four directions. Lotus blossoms rose in his footsteps. They named him Siddhartha, which means "he who has attained his goals." Sadly, Mahamaya died only seven days after the birth. After that Siddhartha was raised by his mother’s kind sister, Mahaprajapati. King Shuddodana consulted Asita, a well-known sooth-sayer, concerning the future of his son.

Asita proclaimed that he would be one of two things: He could become a great king, even an emperor. Or he could become a great sage and savior of humanity. The king, eager that his son should become a king like himself, was determined to shield the child from anything that might result in him taking up the religious life. And so Siddhartha was kept in one or another of their three palaces, and was prevented from experiencing much of what ordinary folk might consider quite commonplace. He was not permitted to see the elderly, the sickly, the dead, or anyone who had dedicated themselves to spiritual practices. Only beauty and health surrounded Siddhartha. Siddhartha grew up to be a strong and handsome young man. As a prince of the warrior caste, he trained in the arts of war. When it came time for him to marry, he won the hand of a beautiful princess of a neighboring kingdom by besting all competitors at a variety of sports. Yashodhara was her name, and they married when both were 16 years old. As Siddhartha continued living in the luxury of his palaces, he grew increasing restless and curious about the world beyond the palace walls.

He finally demanded that he be permitted to see his people and his lands. The king carefully arranged that Siddhartha should still not see the kind of suffering that he feared would lead him to a religious life, and decried that only young and healthy people should greet the prince. As he was lead through Kapilavatthu, the capital, he chanced to see a couple of old men who had accidentally wandered near the parade route. Amazed and confused, he chased after them to find out what they were. Then he came across some people who were severely ill. And finally, he came across a funeral ceremony by the side of a river, and for the first time in his life saw death. He asked his friend and squire Chandaka the meaning of all these things, and Chandaka informed him of the simple truths that Siddhartha should have known all along: That all of us get old, sick, and eventually die. Siddhartha also saw an ascetic, a monk who had renounced all the pleasures of the flesh. The peaceful look on the monks face would stay with Siddhartha for a long time to come.

Later, he would say this about that time: When ignorant people see someone who is old, they are disgusted and horrified, even though they too will be old some day. I thought to myself: I don’t want to be like the ignorant people. After that, I couldn’t feel the usual intoxication with youth anymore. When ignorant people see someone who is sick, they are disgusted and horrified, even though they too will be sick some day. I thought to myself: I don’t want to be like the ignorant people. After that, I couldn’t feel the usual intoxication with health anymore. When ignorant people see someone who is dead, they are disgusted and horrified, even though they too will be dead some day. I thought to myself: I don’t want to be like the ignorant people. After than, I couldn’t feel the usual intoxication with life anymore. (AN III.39, interpreted) At the age of 29, Siddhartha came to realize that he could not be happy living as he had been. He had discovered suffering, and wanted more than anything to discover how one might overcome suffering.

After kissing his sleeping wife and newborn son Rahula goodbye, he snuck out of the palace with his squire Chandara and his favorite horse Kanthaka. He gave away his rich clothing, cut his long hair, and gave the horse to Chandara and told him to return to the palace. He studied for a while with two famous gurus of the day, but found their practices lacking. He then began to practice the austerities and self-mortifications practiced by a group of five ascetics. For six years, he practiced. The sincerity and intensity of his practice were so astounding that, before long, the five ascetics became followers of Siddhartha. But the answers to his questions were not forthcoming. He redoubled his efforts, refusing food and water, until he was in a state of near death. One day, a peasant girl named Sujata saw this starving monk and took pity on him. She begged him to eat some of her milk-rice. Siddhartha then realized that these extreme practices were leading him nowhere, that in fact it might be better to find some middle way between the extremes of the life of luxury and the life of self-mortification.

So he ate, and drank, and bathed in the river. The five ascetics saw him and concluded that Siddhartha had given up the ascetic life and taken to the ways of the flesh, and left him. In the town of Bodh Gaya, Siddhartha decided that he would sit under a certain fig tree as long as it would take for the answers to the problem of suffering to come. He sat there for many days, first in deep concentration to clear his mind of all distractions, then in mindfulness meditation, opening himself up to the truth. He began, they say, to recall all his previous lives, and to see everything that was going on in the entire universe. On the full moon of May, with the rising of the morning star, Siddhartha finally understood the answer to the question of suffering and became the Buddha, which means “he who is awake.” It is said that Mara, the evil one, tried to prevent this great occurrence. He first tried to frighten Siddhartha with storms and armies of demons. Siddhartha remained completely calm. Then he sent his three beautiful daughters to tempt him, again to no avail.

Finally, he tried to ensnare Siddhartha in his own ego by appealing to his pride. That, too, failed. Siddhartha, having conquered all temptations, touched the ground with one hand and asked the earth to be his witness. Siddhartha, now the Buddha, remained seated under the tree -- which we call the bodhi tree -- for many days longer. It seemed to him that this knowledge he had gained was far too difficult to communicate to others. Legend has it that Brahma, king of the gods, convinced Buddha to teach, saying that some of us perhaps have only a little dirt in our eyes and could awaken if we only heard his story. Buddha agreed to teach. At Sarnath near Benares, about one hundred miles from Bodh Gaya, he came across the five ascetics he had practiced with for so long. There, in a deer park, he preached his first sermon, which is called “setting the wheel of the teaching in motion.” He explained to them the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. They became his very first disciples and the beginnings of the Sangha or community of monks.

King Bimbisara of Magadha, having heard Buddha’s words, granted him a monastery near Rahagriha, his capital, for use during the rainy season. This and other generous donations permitted the community of converts to continue their practice throughout the years, and gave many more people an opportunity to hear the teachings of the Buddha. Over time, he was approached by members of his family, including his wife, son, father, and aunt. His son became a monk and is particularly remembered in a sutra based on a conversation between father and son on the dangers of lying. His father became a lay follower. Because he was saddened by the departures of his son and grandson into the monastic life, he asked Buddha to make it a rule that a man must have the permission of his parents to become a monk. Buddha obliged him. His aunt and wife asked to be permitted into the Sangha, which was originally composed only of men. The culture of the time ranked women far below men in importance, and at first it seemed that permitting women to enter the community would weaken it. But the Buddha relented, and his aunt and wife became the first Buddhist nuns.

The Buddha said that it didn’t matter what a person’s status in the world was, or what their background or wealth or nationality might be. All were capable of enlightenment, and all were welcome into the Sangha. The first ordained Buddhist monk, Upali, had been a barber, yet he was ranked higher than monks who had been kings, only because he had taken his vows earlier than they! Buddha’s life wasn’t without disappointments. His cousin, Devadatta, was an ambitious man. As a convert and monk, he felt that he should have greater power in the Sangha. He managed to influence quite a few monks with a call to a return to extreme asceticism. Eventually, he conspired with a local king to have the Buddha killed and to take over the Buddhist community. Of course, he failed. Buddha had achieved his enlightenment at the age of 35. He would teach throughout northeast India for another 45 years. When the Buddha was 80 years old, he told his friend and cousin Ananda that he would be leaving them soon. And so it came to be that in Kushinagara, not a hundred miles from his homeland, he ate some spoiled food and became very ill.

He went into a deep meditation under a grove of sala trees and died. His last words were... Impermanent are all created things; Strive on with awareness. The Buddhist World: Gautama Buddha » Pilgrimage » Lumbini » Gautama Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, was born in the sixth century B.C. in what is now modern Nepal. His father, Suddhodana, was the ruler of the Sakya people and Siddhartha grew up living the extravagant life of a young prince. According to custom, he married at the young age of sixteen to a girl named Yasodhara. His father had ordered that he live a life of total seclusion, but one day Siddhartha ventured out into the world and was confronted with the reality of the inevitable suffering of life. The next day, at the age of twenty-nine, he left his kingdom and newborn son to lead an ascetic life and determine a way to relieve universal suffering. For six years, Siddhartha submitted himself to rigorous ascetic practices, studying and following different methods of meditation with various religious teachers. But he was never fully satisfied.

One day, however, he was offered a bowl of rice from a young girl and he accepted it. In that moment, he realised that physical austerities were not the means to achieve liberation. From then on, he encouraged people to follow a path of balance rather than extremism. He called this The Middle Way. That night Siddhartha sat under the Bodhi tree, and meditated until dawn. He purified his mind of all defilements and attained enlightenment at the age of thirty-five, thus earning the title Buddha, or "Enlightened One". For the remainder of his eighty years, the Buddha preached the Dharma in an effort to help other sentient beings reach enlightenment. Copyright © 2008 - BDEA Inc. & BuddhaNet. All rights reserved. 100 Leaders Your first name. Summary According to traditional wrings, Siddhartha Gautama, who became known as the Buddha, left his life of luxury in a royal palace to seek truth. In the years that followed he studied and developed the ideas that there were Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, which would end suffering. He challenged Hindu teachings which divided people into castes or classes.

As he began to attract followers, he taught that people were equal and one should spread goodwill and understanding among people. His ideas spread and today over 350 million people practice Buddhism. Biography As early Buddhist texts suggest, Siddhartha Gautama was born to a royal family. He was given the name Siddhartha which means “the one who brings all good.” Siddhartha’s father did not want him to see human hardship so he kept Siddhartha within the grounds of the palace. As an adult he finally left the palace and he saw human suffering and death. He made a series of trips outside the palace before leaving to seek a way to relieve the suffering of humanity. Siddhartha sought spiritual guidance and meditated on the teachings of a number of religions while living in deprivation. When a young girl offered him a bowl of rice he began to realize that living under harsh physical conditions did not help a person to achieve a higher spiritual state. Siddhartha viewed himself as a teacher who was opposed to many of the ideas of Hinduism, particularly the caste system which separated people. He believed in the goodness of all people and equality for all people. One night Siddhartha meditated under the Bodhi tree.

During his meditation Siddhartha believed he overcame the threats of Mara, an evil demon, and reached a state of Enlightenment. He became the Buddha which means, “one who is awake.” Buddha spent the rest of his life traveling and teaching the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold path. The Four Truths which are the focus of Buddhist belief are the Truth of Suffering, the Truth of the Cause of Suffering, the Truth of the End of Suffering and the Truth of the Path. Buddha did not attract many followers immediately but in the centuries after he died, his teachings were widely accepted throughout Asia. It is estimated that presently over 400 million people follow the teachings of Buddha. What Made Siddhartha Gautama A leader? Siddhartha Gautama considered the many Vedic rites and ceremonies of Hinduism to be pointless and abusive, and he was also against the caste system, stressing the equality among all people. His ideas spread to the point where Buddhism has over 350 million followers today. Discover More About Siddhartha Gautama Keywords Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path Contemporaries Chodron, Thubden. Buddhism for Beginners. Boston: Snow Lion.

2012. Smith, Huston. The World's Religions. New York: Harper One. 2009. Zamosky, Lisa. Primary Source Readers: Siddhartha Gautama: The Buddha: World Cultures Through Time. Huntington Beach: Teacher Created Materials. 2007. BBC - Religions - Buddhism: The Buddha The Buddha Last updated 2002-10-02 The history of Buddhism is the story of one man's spiritual journey to Enlightenment, and of the teachings and ways of living that developed from it. On this page Print this page The Buddha The history of Buddhism is the story of one man's spiritual journey to Enlightenment, and of the teachings and ways of living that developed from it. Siddhartha Gautama - The Buddha By finding the path to Enlightenment, Siddhartha was led from the pain of suffering and rebirth towards the path of Enlightenment and became known as the Buddha or 'awakened one'. Buddha temple statue, Kathmandu, Nepal A life of luxury Opinions differ as to the dates of Siddhartha Gautama's life.

Historians have dated his birth and death as circa 566-486 BCE but more recent research suggests that he lived later than this, from around 490 BCE until circa 410 BCE. He was born into a royal family in the village of Lumbini in present-day Nepal, and his privileged life insulated him from the sufferings of life; sufferings such as sickness, age and death. Discovering cruel reality One day, after growing up, marrying and having a child, Siddhartha went outside the royal enclosure where he lived. When he went outside he saw, each for the first time, an old man, a sick man, and a corpse. This greatly disturbed him, and he learned that sickness, age, and death were the inevitable fate of human beings - a fate no-one could avoid. Becoming a holy man Siddhartha had also seen a monk, and he decided this was a sign that he should leave his protected royal life and live as a homeless holy man. Siddhartha's travels showed him much more of the the suffering of the world. He searched for a way to escape the inevitability of death, old age and pain first by studying with religious men.

This didn't provide him with an answer. A life of self-denial Siddhartha encountered an Indian ascetic who encouraged him to follow a life of extreme self-denial and discipline. The Buddha also practised meditation but concluded that in themselves, the highest meditative states were not enough. Siddhartha followed this life of extreme asceticism for six years, but this did not satisfy him either; he still had not escaped from the world of suffering. The middle way He abandoned the strict lifestyle of self-denial and ascetism, but did not return to the pampered luxury of his early life. Instead, he pursued the Middle Way, which is just what it sounds like; neither luxury nor poverty. Enlightenment Bodhi tree next to Mahabodhi temple, the spot where Buddha achieved enlightenment © One day, seated beneath the Bodhi tree (the tree of awakening) Siddhartha became deeply absorbed in meditation, and reflected on his experience of life, determined to penetrate its truth. He finally achieved Enlightenment and became the Buddha. The Mahabodhi Temple at the site of Buddha's enlightenment, is now a pilgrimage site.

Buddhist legend tells that at first the Buddha was happy to dwell within this state, but Brahma, king of the gods, asked, on behalf of the whole world, that he should share his understanding with others. The Teacher Buddha set in motion the wheel of teaching: rather than worshipping one god or gods, Buddhism centres around the timeless importance of the teaching, or the dharma. For the next 45 years of his life the Buddha taught many disciples, who became Arahants or 'noble ones', who had attained Enlightenment for themselves.

Question: Siddhartha Gautama became better known as who?
Answer: Buddha